WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN BOYFRIEND'S HOME

Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies checking on a missing suburban West Palm Beach man late Thursday night found his girlfriend dead from multiple stab wounds.

The unidentified woman, thought to be a housekeeper in Boca Raton, was found about 11:30 p.m. inside the home of Hermilo Perez, 53, said Paul Miller, a Sheriff's Office spokesman.

Deputies were called to Perez's home at 936 Sumpter Road, west of West Palm Beach, by friends who were concerned that the couple had not reported to their jobs since Tuesday.

Perez, an immigrant from Mexico employed as a maintenance worker at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach, was being sought by sheriff's detectives on Friday.

"He is not considered a suspect at this time. We just want to make sure that he is all right," Miller said. "We would also like to talk to him about what happened to [his girlfriend.)"

The victim, who was not identified by police pending notification of her family, apparently put up a struggle against her attacker. "She had defense wounds about her hands," Miller said.

As news of the murder spread through the residential development, neighbors described Perez as a quiet, friendly man who spoke little English and moved in about a year ago.

"He was a model neighbor. He was very quiet and always smiled when you said hello," said next-door neighbor Arlene Begeny. "As far as I can say, he would be the last person I would expect to do something like this."

Perez was described as 5-feet, 8-inches tall, weighing 145 pounds, with brown, graying hair and a thick mustache. He was last seen driving his 1987 Chevrolet Cavalier, license tag number VJF 76T.

Anyone who sees Perez is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-458-8477.